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- pronunciation:
dapt
- features:
- Note, Word History, Word Builder, Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
adopts, adopting, adopted |
| definition 1: |
to become a parent of (a child) by law, or to accept an animal as a pet and become responsible for it.
My mom and dad adopted a little girl from China, so now I have a sister.Sam's family adopted a dog at the animal shelter.
- similar words:
- foster, mother
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| definition 2: |
to take on and use as one's own.
When did you adopt that attitude towards school?She has adopted a weird laugh to get attention.- synonyms:
- assume
- antonyms:
- discard, reject
- similar words:
- accept, acquire, affect, borrow, embrace, take
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| definition 3: |
to accept by voting for.
Congress adopted the law.- synonyms:
- approve, enact, pass
- antonyms:
- revoke
- similar words:
- back, endorse, ratify, sanction, vote for
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| related words: |
buy, choose, pass |
| derivations: |
adoptable (adj.), adopter (n.) |
adopt or adapt?
Adopt means to accept a new thing as your own. Adapt means to make changes because of a new purpose or situation. Compare: - We adopted a puppy from the animal shelter.
- The puppy soon adapted to its new home.
The English word adopt is from a Latin word adoptare that means "to choose for oneself" or "to choose as one's own." If you take away the prefix ad- from adoptare, the word optare is left. Optare means "to choose freely." Other English words that come from optare include "option" (a choice) and "opt" (choose).
The word adopt
contains the following parts:
ad-
Latin
prefix
that means to, toward
  More about this word part:
Originally a Latin preposition and prefix, ad-
occurs in English in Latin loanwords. It has multiple forms, as the final 'd' sound in ad-
assimilates to the initial sound of the base to which it is attached. See its assimilated forms: ac-, af-, ag-1, al-, an-, ap-, ar-, as-, and at-.
Example words:
adapt, add, addict, addiction, adequate, adhere, adjacent, adjective, adjust, administer, administrator, admission, admit, adopt, adoption, adverb, adversary, adverse, adversity, advertise, advocate
opt2
Latin
root
that means choose
Example words:
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